Gas heater



Marsh M 1924,

G. F. SCHMIDT GAS HEATER Filed May 11 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l PatentedMar. 11, 1924.

GUSTAVE F. SCHMIDT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAS HEATER.

Application filed May 11, 1922. Serial No. 559,991.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GUsrAvn F. SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas Heaters, ofwhich the following is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of my application.

My invention relates to gas heaters of the type employing a plurality ofheat radiating elements or radiants in conjunction with a burner havinga plurality of tips corresponding in number with the radiants.

Generally stated, my invention consists in providing a base portion orburner housing unit on which is mounted the main heater unit orradiant-holding portion, which latter consists of a single unitpreferably composed of earthen material, such as majolica, or othersuitable clay, which may be provided. with a glaze or enamel finish ofany desired coloration or effect in keeping with the wishes of the userand in harmony with the finish or furnishings of the apartment in whichthe heater is to be placed.

The invention also contemplates the construction of the radiant-carryingunit in such manner that the gases of combustion from the heater mayreadily be conveyed to a suitablerconduit or flue and thus prevent thepossibility of obnoxious odors or vitiating gases escaping into theroom.

The invention further contemplates a heater wherein the differentradiating elements or radiants will all be removably secured to the mainbody unit in a manner which will permit their easy removal singly or enmasse, thus permitting the main body unit with all of the radiants to beremoved from the base or burner housing unit without interfering with oreffecting the relation between the radiants and the main heater unit orinterfering with the burner per se and the base or housing unit.

The objects and various advantages of my invention will all be morereadily comprehended from the following detailed description of thedrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved heater,with portions broken away and shown in section. I V

Figure 2 is a sectionalplan view taken on the line of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4' is a detail sectional view taken on the line lt of Figure 1looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4:looking in the direction of the arrows.

My invention is especially adapted to a gas heater wherein the mainportion is composed of earthen material, although the invention may, inmany respects, be employed in radiant gas heaters made entirely ofmetal. The invention in its specific embodiment as disclosed in thedrawings, comprises a rectangular base portion or unit 10 which ispreferably made of metal and of skeleton or shell formation, namely witha front and two end walls which terminate at the top in a horizontallydisposed flange portion 11 on which the main heater unit 12 is adaptedto rest. As the heater is usually placed adjacent to a wall or in afireplace, the rear of the base portion 10 may be open, which enablesthe base unit to be more easily adjusted or placed in position relativeto the burner, which latter is shown at 13 in Figure 1, and also permitpassage for the feed' or gas-pipe leading to the burner.

In the particular exemplification, the burner 13 is shown secured to andsupported by the flange 11 of the base portion 10 by means of smallscrews or bolts, as at 14 in Figure 1, which are adapted to pass throughtapped apertures in the flange portion 11 and through a suitable lugasat 15 cast integral with both ends of the burner 13. The burner isprovided with a series of tips as at 15* which are adapted to extendinto a plane substantially flush with the top of the base unit 10 and bedisposed through suitable openings provided in a metallic plate orradiant-rest shown at 16 in Figure 2. The radiant-rest 16 in turn ispreferably provided at the forward edge thereof with an upwardly anddownwardly disposed flange 17 whereby the radiant-rest or plate may beproperly positioned and the lower ends of the radiants which are shownat 18, held against possible displacement or forward movement, so thatthe position of the lower'ends of the radiants will be maintained andsaid radiants held in register with the respective burner-dips,-

The burner 13, at one end, is provided with a suitable valve as at 19 inFigure 3 for controlling the flow of gas into the burner; the valvebeing also constructed to 'admit a regulable amount of air. into themixing end or chamber of the burner as is usual. The valve is shownprovided'with a stem 20, preferably provided with a key or hand-wheel,disposed in proximity to one of the panels or sections of the base 10and which panels, for the sake of artistic appearance, have been shownof circular formation as at 21, while the panel adjacent the handvalveis'preferably made removable to permit' access to the valve. Theremovable panel 21 is shown in detail in Figures 1 and 5 and has itsrear side preferably provided with angular lugs as at 22 which areadapted to engage with'or hook over the flange portion 23 which extendsinto or encircles the lower part of the opening in the front wall of thebase portion in slight lapping relationwith the removable panel 21. Thisconstruction permits the panel 21 to be readily removed by simplylifting it slightly upward sufficient for the angular lugs 22 to clearthe flange portion 23, as is clearly evident from the construction shownin Figures 4c and 5. a

The main body or radiant-holding unit 12 of the heater is preferablyshown in the I drawing composed of earthen ware formed to constitute theside portions,back-wall and top as a single unit; and this main body is1 preferably made hollow as shown in Figures 2 and 8; thus providing adouble back wallback as at 24 in Figure 2 which is preferably united byreenforcing ribs 25; while the continuous side and top portion likewiseis chambered or hollow and thereby provides a chamber 26 in the upperpart of the unit which, at a central point, is preferably provided withan outlet at 27 adapted to re ceive a conveying conduit or flue wherebythe gases of combustion may be conveyed from the heater to the exteriorof the room or building. The top portion 28 of the radiant-holding unitof the heater, and the side portions arepreferably formed to projectslightly beyond the forward portion of the back-wall 2e, as shown inFigure 3, a distance sufiicient to provide a recess and permit theradiants 18 to be assembled in juxtaposition to the back-wall and at thesame time come within the plane of the forward edge of the side portionsand top of the radiant-holding unit 12, as shown in Figure 8. Thoverhanging top portion 28 is preferably provided with a series ofopenings or a continuous slot, as at29 in Figure 3 which communicateswith the chamber 26 and thereby permits the gases to pass upward andinto the chamber 26, from which they will be conveyed by the opening 27.

The side portions of the radiant-holding unit 12, adjacent the top, areeach provided with an opening as at in Figure 1 to receive the ends of asuitable rod or wire 31 on which the various radiants 18 are threaded orstrung. The rod or wire 31, of suitable metal, is adapted to passthrough correlated openings in the sides of the hollow radiants as shownin Figures 1 and 3, and the ends of the rod or wire provided with anenlargement or bend as at 32 in Figure 1 which is intended to extendinto the openings 30 so as to lock the ends of the wire in place. andthereby maintain the radiants in proper position relative to theradiantrest or plate 16. The openings 30 may be in the nature ofbayonet-slots, with the enlarged ends of the openings uppermost so thatafter the enlarged or bent ends of the rod or wire have been passedthrough the upper end of the slots andthe radiants allowed to seat ontherest or plate 16, the enlarged-or bent ends of the rod or wire willinterlock with the restricted or lower ends of the slots or openings andprevent accidental removal. As is clearly evident from thisconstruction, all of the radiants may be readily lifted out of placewhen-it is desired to replace any. or all of them, or to remove the mainbody portion or unit 12 of the heater, for the purpose of substituting anew or different unit.

With the radiant-holding unit 12 made of clay, it may be provided atsuitable points with a slight slit or cut as set forth in my priorapplication, Serial No. 524,941, to compensate for expansion andcontraction and thus prevent possibility of cracking or breaking of theenameled surface..

The construction of heater as shown and described, consisting of a baseportion or unit 10 and a main portion or radiant-holding unit 12,permits ready access to all ofthe parts for cleaning or repairas'well asfor shipment and storage; andit is also ap-' parent that the baseportion or burner housing unit 10 maybe employed with any type ofsuitable burner, as for example the type illustrated in my pendingapplication, Serial No. 524,941, wherein the burner is sup-- ported onthe floor, thus permitting the base unit 10 to be readily removedwithout disturbing the burner per se. It is also evident that the'baseunit may be removed and a different style base unit substituted as isalso the case with the main portion or radiant-holding unit; theconstruction permitting an interchange of the respective units to meetthe desires or wishes of the user without necessitating removing orchanging the entire heater.

In practice, after the burner has been secured in place at the pointdesired, the base unit 10 is then placed over or about the burner so asto properly'enclose the same, after which the main body portion orradiant holding unit 12 is put into place on top of the base portion soas to have the lower parts of the radiants in proper register with theburner tips. With the main portion or radiant-holding unit composed ofearthen ware or clay, it will be of sufficient weight and proportions tomaintain its position on the base portion without requiring specialmeans for securing it in place. As the flange ll of the front wall ofthe base portion merely extends a short distance rearward, it is evidentthat a sufficient air space will be provided between the front part ofthe rear wall 24 and the rear edge of the radiant rest or plate 16 topermit the upward passage of air whereby to enhance combustion.

I have shown what I believe to be the simplest and best embodiment of myinvention which has been described in terms employed merely as terms ofdescription and not as terms of limitation, as structural modificationsare possible and may be made without. however, departing from the spiritof my invention.

What I claim is 1. A gas heater of the character described, comprising aburner enclosing unit provided with an opening in its top, a main bodyunit superposed on said first unit and consisting of integral sides, topand back formed to provide a radiant-receiving recess on the front facethereof, the back consisting of integrally connected double walls spacedapart and having an outlet opening, while the sides are provided withaligned sockets adjacent to the top, a radiant-rest seatable in the topopening of the first unit on the tips of the burner, a plurality ofradiants superposed on said rest and disposed vertically in the recessof said main body unit, the radiant-rest and back wall of the body unitbeing so arranged as to permit all circulation intermediate of theradiants and the back wall of said main unit, and a single elen'ientadapted to pass through the upper ends of the radiants, while the endsof said elements are adapted to engage and interlock in the sockets inthe sides of the main body unit and permit all of the radiants to besimultaneously removed.

2. A gas heater of the character described, comprising a burnerenclosing base unit, and a main body unit superposed on the base unit.said body unit comprising integral back, top and side walls, the back,sides and top walls being formed with communicating chambers terminatingcentrally at the top in an outlet through the back wall, while the twosides and top walls are formed to extend forward beyond the back wall toprovide a radiant-receiving recess, the over-hanging top wall beingrecessed and opening into the chamber in said top.

3. A gas heater of the character described, comprising a base unitadapted to enclose the burner of the header and provided with an openinglengthwise of the top of the unit, and a separate main body unitsuperposed on the base unit, composed of integral back, sides and topwalls, with the back consisting of two integrally connected spacedwalls, while the top and side walls are disposed forward of the backwall to provide a radiant-receiving recess, the top wall being chamberedand provided with an outlet through the back wall and the lower forwardside of the top wall being apertured above said radiant-receiving recesscommunicating with said outlet, a plurality of vertically disposedradiants, a radiant-rest removably mounted in the top opening of thebase unit and providing an air passage between the rest and the back ofthe body unit, and means whereby the radiants are maintained in spacedrelation with the back wall.

f. In a heater of the character described, a single piece body unitcomposed of a heat resisting clay, recessed on the forward side toprovide a radiant-receiving recess, the back and top walls of the unitbeing formed with communicating air chambers, the chamber in the topwall having an opening at the forward side above said recess, while theback wall is provided with an outlet opening.

5. In a heater of the character described, a single piece body unitcomposed of integral top, bottom and side walls, recessed on the forwardside to provide a radiant-receiving recess, the top wall being formed toprovide a chamber having an opening above said recess, while the backconsists of spaced walls integrally connected together to provide an airchamber therebetween open at the bottom and having an outlet through therear wall of the back, and a base unit on which the body unit rests,said base unit being provided with an opening in its top communicatingwith the open bottom of the chamber in the back wall of the body unit.

6. In a heater of the character described, a single piece body composedof heat resisting clay formed to provide top, back and side walls, theside walls being provided with aligned sockets, and a radiant holdingelement adapted to pass through the upper ends of the radiants while theends of said elements are formed to interlock in the sockets of the sidewalls, whereby the radiants are removably held in place and in spacedrelation with the back wall.

GUSTAVE F. SCHMIDT. Witnesses:

G. HEIDMAN, F. A. FLoRnLL.

